Roller casing



May 14, 1940. P. zALKlND l 2,200,319

noLLER cAsING Filed oct. 19, 19:55 3 sheets-'sheet 1 INVENTOR 3a/1171;? Zal/Una ATTORNEY May 14 1940- v P. zALKlND 2.200.319

ROLLER CASING Filed Oct. 19, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR ffphillfp /dll't'' ATTORNEY May 14 1940- P. zALKlND 2.200.319

ROLLER CASING Filed Oct. 19, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNyENToR 7771? 1p zal/Ez 77a7 Bwa W 52 ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to collapsible and/r folding containers; and more particularly to novel construction of drawers and the like of this class and novel construction of the parts with which said drawers and the like coact to facilitate movement of said drawer relative to said coacting parts.

In the movement of the drawers in and out, of the container in which the drawer is adapted to operate, it is desirable that as much freedom of movement as possible shall be obtained. The present application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 693,841 filed October 16, 1933, in which I have shown novel construction for facilitating the movementfof a drawer in a collapsible casing, and of my copending application Serial No. '739,962 filed August 15, 1934, now Patent No. 2,159,069, in whichI have shown novel construction for facilitating the movement of a drawer in a folding or collapsible cabinet.

In the aforesaid applications, I have shown a substantially flat bottom drawer of fibrous sheet material with novel wheel and track construction. This constructionris generally very 'efficacious in reducing the friction between'the drawer and the container, but I have found that with certain drawer loadings, the drawer bottom will sag or bow an amount to permit the drawer bottom to make contact with the bottom of the casing unless the wheels and tracks or rails are so mounted as to hold the drawer some distance above the bottom of the subjacent part. If the drawer bottom should sag under loading a suicient amount to come into contact with the subjacent part, the full benefit of my anti-friction mounting cannot be obtained.

I have found that where, it is expected to load the drawer in such a manner that, without a special construction, the drawer would rub on the subjacent partwhen loaded, I may provide means in the construction to eliminate such action.

Moreover, I have found that I may combine various parts of the anti-friction member with.

reinforcing or connecting members and thus obtain an economy of construction through such combination of parts. I have also found, that other economies of construction maybe attained through certain novel rearrangement of parts which expedite the manufacture of my novel construction.

Accordingly, objects of my invention are to provide novel apparatus for and methods of moving drawers into and from its container on wheels or rollers; novel apparatus for and methods of mounting collapsible drawers to be moved on wheels or rollers from and into a collapsible container; tracks secured to the container and/or to the drawer and rollers or wheels cooperating with said tracks for providing a maximum freedom of movement of the drawer with respect to its container; novel drawer construction to reduce sagging of the drawer bottom upon the subjacent part; tracks combined-with reinforcing and/or connecting members; improved construction as effecting manufacture.

There are other objects of my invention which together with the foregoing, will appear in the detailed description following in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view'showing a drawer having wheel and track suspending means.

Figure 2 is a perspective view partly broken l away showing a casing for enclosing the drawer of Figure 1, and provided with tracks and wheels for cooperating with coacting parts on the drawer of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a method of mounting a drawer supporting wheel upon the vertical open front end reinforcements of the casing.

Figure 4 is a perspective view partly broken away showing a modification of Figure 2 in which wheels are provided in the lower horizontal open front end reinforcement of the casing.

Figure 5 is a perspective View, partly broken away, showing the manner in which the drawer of Figure 1 may be mounted in the casing of Figure 2 or Figure 4. 35

Figure 6 is a perspective view showinga method for mounting the wheels of Figure 4. Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing one of the wheels of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view, partly broken 40 away, showing the front end of a drawer and casing with-wheels mounted on the bottom of the drawer for supporting same. 1

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the wheels and a portion of the drawer of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing one of the wheels of Figure 9. y Figure 11 is a cross section on the line lI-ll of Figure 10. s

Figure 12 is a developed blank for the wheel mounting of Figures 8-11.

Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a bottom pad for the casing, having tracks for cooperating with a drawer with wheels similar to those shown in Figures 8-12.

Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the rear end of a drawer having a wheel mounted in a track member.

Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective view showing the wheel mounting of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a cross section on the plane I6-I6 of Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a blank for a drawer having a raised bottom with a track member formed in a manner to secure the bottom flanges in position.

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a drawer formed from the blank of Figure .17.

Figure 19 is a cross sectional view on the plane lil-I9 of Figure 18.

Figure 2O is an enlarged perspective view of the track member used in Figures 17 to 19.

Figure 21 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the drawer of Figures 17 to 19 inserted in a casing similar to that of Figure 4.

In Figure 1, I have shown a form of folding drawer described in detail in my copending application Serial No. 693,841 which has already been referred to. In this figure, the drawer I cornprises the front Wall 2, the inner front wall 3, the side Walls 4 and 4', the rear wall 5, the inner rear wall 6, the side Wall flaps 'I and 'I' and the bottom panel 8, together with front wall flaps 9, rear wall flaps I and ID' and tabs extending from each end of both of the side wail aps. This drawer may be folded from a single blank of sheet material and after folding, is held in assembled position by means of the various flaps and tabs.

On each of the side Walls is mounted the track members II (see Fig. of metal or other'rigid material formed with the prongs I2 which are pierced into the outer side wall and clinched thereto, which securely fastens the track member to the drawer blank. The wheel I3 is mounted on the ap I0 extending from the rear wall 5, by means of the rivet I 4. It will be understood that a similar Wheel (not shown) is similarly mounted on the ap I 8 and attached by thel rivet I4 extending through the washer I 5'.

The drawer I may be used with the casing I6 as shown in Figure 5, the casing being illustrated in further detail in Figure 2, and in a modified form in Figure 4. The casing as shown is of a type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 693,841, but my invention is not limited to any particular form of casing. 'I'his casing comprises the rear wall I'I, the side walls I8 and I9, the' bottom wall 20, and the top wall 2|. The open front end of the casing is provided with the horizontal reinforcing channels 22 and 23, and the vertical reinforcing members 24, one of the latter being shown in greater detail in. Figure 3. At each corner of the open front end is a right angle bent member illustrated at 25a, 25h, 25C, and 25d.

, connecting the vertical and horizontal reinforcing members.

-The casing I6 is of the collapsible type and in its collapsed position, the vertical reinforcing members, which are attached to the outside o f the open front end in any suitable manner, as for instance by the prongs 26, are in the substantially flat position illustrated in Figure 3. In this position that portion of the vertical reinforcing member indicated at 2'I projects out from the open front edge. This projecting portion includes the wheel 28 mounted on the reinforcing member by means of the axle rivet 29, as well as the rabbet 30. Member 24 is provided with the band line 3|, which is preferably of a typel as disclosed in my copending application entitled Predetermined bend line, Ser. No. 45,710, and filed coincidentally with this application. Also in the collapsed position of the casing the angle members 25a'and 25h which are held within the top horizontal channel 22 are turned outwardly to be substantially in the plane of the top panel 2l; and the angle members 25e and 25d which are held within the bottom horizontal channel 23 are turned outwardly to be substantially in the plane of the bottom member.

In setting up the casing to its assembled position, the collapsed form is first turned on its bend lines until the open front assumes a, rectangular position; the angle members 25 are then turned on their pivot to abut the front edges of the side walls; and the vertical reinforcing members 24 are turned on their score lines 3| to envelop the exposed legs of the angle members 24 and the vertical front edges of the side walls I8 and I9; In this position, the wheels 28 extend within the casing in a position to` cooperate with the tracks II and II' of the drawer. It will be understood that the tracks may be placed at any height on the drawer sides, provided the wheels 28 are prop- `erly positioned on the casing; but the wheels 28 should be placed in such a position on the casing I6 that when the drawer is hung within the casing by the tracks Hand II coacting with the wheels 28, the bottom 8 ofthe drawer will not be in 'contact with the bottom 20 of the casing.

Mounted on the inside of the side wall I9 of the casing I6 may be a rail member 36 attached to the wall by any suitable means, such as the prongs 37. A similar rail, not shown, may be attached to the side wall I8 in a similar manner. The rails 36 are placed at a height within the casing to cooperate with the wheels I3 mounted on the drawer. The relative position of the wheels I3 and the rails 36 is such that when the wheels I3 are supported by the rails 36, the drawer will be free to move within the casing without the drawer bottom 8 coming in contact with the casing bottom zu.

As shown in Figure 4 and in further detail in Figure 6, the bottom corner angles 25e and 25d may be provided with wheels 32. The angles 25e and 25d may be united with each other in a uniting structure through the rod 34 which is preferably connected with the angle members through the offsets 38. The angle members are then joined to the casing bottom by means of the rod 34 secured in place by the bottom reinforcing member 23a. g

The offsets 38 serve a double purpose in connection withA the wheels 33. When the casing is in a collapsed position and the angle members 25e and 25d lie substantially in the plane of the bottom member 20, the offsets serve to bring the wheels 33 outside of the casing and into a position where they do not interfere with collapsibility. When the casing is assembled, the offsets serve to raise the wheels 33 relative to the casing bottom 20. By proper proportioning the wheels and the offsets, the bottom of the wheels can be raised a sufficient amount, that they will lie 'slightly above the casing bottom and will not of cooperating means for reducing the friction of the drawer in the casing. These means are:

1. Wheels on casing coacting with tracks on the drawer member.

2. Wheels on the drawer coacting with rails on the casing member.

3. Wheels on the open front end coacting with a portion of the drawer bottom.

It will readily be understood that, while these three sets of means may cooperate with each other in the manner that will shortly be described, any one of the sets or a combination of any two of the sets will greatly reduce the friction of the drawer in the casing and depending upon the particular application I may apply one or another of the friction reducing means, without the application of the other groups. Moreover, with properly positioning of the tracks II and Il' and the rails 36, it may in certain instances be desirable to entirelyeliminate the wheels I3, 28, and 32 and mount the drawer in the casing by hanging the drawer in the casing through th`e medium of the tracks II and the rails 36, the downwardly depending leg 39 of A-the track II being supported within the channel 40 of the rail 36. This will raise the bottom of the drawer above the bottom of the casing and will greatly reduce the friction of the drawer in the casing.

Where all three sets of wheels and their "coacting members, which have been described, are provided, these three sets cooperate with each other as follows: The principal supporting and anti-friction means comprises the wheels 28 coacting with the tracks II and II. -The wheels and their axles act as pivots about which the drawer is free to rotate. Thus, when the drawer is first inserted into the casing, the weight of the drawer is largely on the outside of the casing, so that the center of gravity of the drawer will lie outside of the pivots 29 as clearly shown in Figure 5. This would cause the forward end of the drawer to move downwardly about the wheels 2 8 so that the lbottom of the drawer will come yin contact with the bottom edge of the open front end of the casing, unless the front end of the drawer is manually supported. Such manual support may require a considerable effort when the drawer is heavily loaded, andA it becomes largely unnecessary where the wheels 32 are provided, as these wheels then take the lead cifthe front end of the drawer, but do not cause an increase in friction as would be occasioned by the turn acts to cause the rear end of the drawer to drop relative tothe casing, vand if the drawer were not otherwise supported, the Arear bottom edge of the drawer would rub on the inside bottom of the casing. If wheels I3 and tracks 36 are not provided, this rubbing may be disposed of by manually supporting the drawer by pulling lown,on the front-of the drawer, but' if wheel,A

I3 and I3' and tracks 36 are provided, these means will prevent the drawer bottom from' coming into contact with the casing and will provide antifriction support for the rear end of the 76 drawer.

In Figures 8 to 13, I haveshown a further feature which may befapplied to my drawers, comprising wheels secured to the base or floor member thereof for riding on a track in the casing. As shown in Figure 12, a hat member 4I preferably made of metal may be provided with prongs stamped therefrom in a manner already described and may be scored to form a predetermined bending line at 43 and 44. At 45, the metal is punched out, forming a pin support at the openings 46 and 41 for a roller rwhen the metal is turned along the scorings 43 and 44 into the form shown in Figure 10.

A pin I having its ends 52 and 53 of reduced diameter protruding through the openings 46 and 41 and provided with the caps 54 and 55 carries the ringA 56. Between the rollers 56 and 51, the roller ball bearings 58 are supported for permitting a free rotation of the caster 59. The member` 4|, after being formed into the shape in Figure is secured to the inner and outer side wall by its prongs as shown in Figure 9, the side of member 4I coming opposite the inner side wall being admitted therein through a suitable slot formed in the side wall.

Secured to the base of the casing is a member 48 having the dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of the bottom of the casing and having the tracks 49 and 50 formed therein at positions at which the rollers 59 will ride in the tracks. In a further form of my invention these tracks may be constructed as an inherent part of the base or bottom sections of the casing,

as will be described in further detail.

In a further modification the wheel members and at the same time the track members may be used to reinforce the bottom drawer corners. Such modification is illustrated in Figures 14 to 16.

As sh'own in Figure 14, the drawer 68, is provided with the track members 6I, provided with the track 62 adapted to coact with a wheel mounted upon the inside of a casing. The track member 6I has the prongs 63 and 64 by which it may be attached to the drawer blank, ythe prongs 63 being applied to the side wall panel and the prongs 64 being applied to the bottom panel of the drawer blank. The track member 6I is thus adapted to fit partly over the side wall of the drawer and partly over the bottom of the drawer. As applied to the drawer blank the side wall and bottom wall portion are in the same plane, but when the drawer blank is folded into assembled position; the track member-6I is bent on the bending line 65 and forms an angle reinforcement for the drawer.

As shown in Figure 14 and in greater detail in Figure 15, a lportion of the track member may be bent to form a channel having the flange 66 adapted to pass through a slot in the vbottom of the drawer and to be fastened to the inside of the side wall of the drawer, as for instance by prongs 61.

At this channel shaped portion the track member 6I has the punched out portions 61,', 68, and 69 the latter two openings being shaped to support the axle 18, and the hole 61 being shaped to permit the wheel 1I mounted within the channel portion to extend through the member 6I in order to cooperate with a suitable track, such for instance as that shown in Figure 13 which has already been described.

While in Figure 16, I have shown a wheel with drawer be supported on wheels or rollers when it is less heavily loaded. In such cases thel partial support given by the wheels will cause freer movement of the drawer in the casing than if the entire weight.were carried Yon the bottom, but a greater force is required to move the drawer than if the bottom` of the drawer were supported entirely free ,from the bottom of the casing.y In drawers expected to carry heavy loads, I thus make provision for supporting the drawer vin a manner, that even when the drawer is loaded, its bottom will not contact the casing with sliding friction when the drawer is moved. This result may be accomplished by raising the supports of the drawer so that the Adrawer when empty is a. suiiicient distance from the casing bottom that even when loaded the drawer bottom will not scrape, or by vproviding a drawer with a bottom so constructed that it will not sag down to meet the casing bottom.

l One form of a drawer so constructed is shown in Figures 17 to 21, in which Figure 17 shows a developed blank.` In this gure blank shown generally as |20, comprises the front panel 2|, the panel extension |22, the bottom panel |23, the rear wall panel |24, the rear wall extension |25, the side walls |26, and the side Wall extensions |21. Between the bottom panel |23 and the side panel |26 is a narrow panel |28 which forms a ange portion on the bottom of assembled drawer. The front panel has the extended wings |3| with the locking tabs |32; and the front extension has similar extensions |33 with tabs |34. The rear panel has the wings with notches |36, and the rear panel extension has similar wings |31 with similar notches |38. The notches |36 and |38 are made to t the tabs |32 and |34. A narrow panel |3| connects the bottom panel |23 with the front panel |2| and forms a bottom ange on the drawer front when the blank is folded into position. 'Ihe front panel |2| is somewhat larger than the front panel extension |22 to provide flanges around the drawer front as is fully described in my copending application Serial No. 693,841 previously re- A ferred to. The front and rear panel extensions are provided with cut out notches |39 for cooperating with the flaps |40 on the. side wall extensions.V The rear wall and the rear wall extension are provided with the holes |4| which when the blank is folded form a handle in the rear wall. Suitable score lines are provided (on which the blank may be folded to form a drawer.

Attached to the side panel |26 is a wheel |42 secured on the axle. |43. Also secured on the side panel is the metallic member |44, shown in greater detail in Figure 20. Member |44 is provided with prong |45 for securing the member to the drawer blank. Member |44 is provided with a grid bending line |46 which is preferably of a construction similar to that disclosed in my copending application entitled Predetermined band line, Serial No. 45,710, and led coincidently with the application. One edge of the member |44 may be turned into a U shape to form a track |41 and the other edge may be bent up to form a lip as at |48.

When the rear 'wall extension is turned on its score lines, the panels |25 and |24, and. the wings |31 and |35 overlap in face to face rela-v tion, and the handle openings |4| will register with each other. Similarly, when the front wall extension is turned on its score lines, the panel -I22 will overlap panel |2| in face to face relation; and thenvwhen the side ilanges are formed on panel |2| by bending the blank on the score lines on the sides of panel |2l, the wings |3| and |33 will overlap in face to face relationship. Both the front and rear panels may be so bent before shipment, and the overlapping parts adheslvely united with each other. A

In assembling the drawer, the front and rear walls are bent on their score lines at right angles to the base |23, and the front and rear wall wings` are then bent on their score lines at right angles to the front and rear walls. The wings maybe locked together through theA tabs |32 and |34 entering the notches |35 and |36. The side walls are then bent into position with the side wall |26 and the side wall extension |21 enveloping the front and rear wall wings |3I, |32, |35, and |31. In this operation the flange member |28 is formed on the bottom of the drawer and the metallic members |44 are bent on their score lines |46, thereby locking the ange in position. At the same time, the extension |48 of member |44 aids in supporting the bottom of the drawer.

' Moreover, the member |44 may, as shown, be provided with a track |41 for supporting the drawer in a casing.

Where the drawer is used with a casing having wheels or rollers for coacting with the drawer anges, such for instance as the form of casing of Figure 4, which is illustrated also in Figure 2l having inserted therein the drawer (partly broken away) formed from the blank of Figure 17, I prefer that the grid bending line be one of the covered forms shown in my copending application entitled Predetermined bend line, Serial No.l 45,710, and previously referred to. In this manner, a smooth metallic surface will be presented due to any uneven surface on the bottom of the anges or the drawer bottom.

lIn the particular drawer illustrated, I have shown a form in which the side walls are o1 the same height as the rear wall and substantially the same height as the front wall. It will be realized, however; that I may equally well provide bottom flanges and a raised bottom on a drawer in which the sides are of a diierent height than the rear wall. p

I have further found that I 'can extend the use of ilanges on the drawer bottom; and by the added strength of bottom so obtained, I may secure greater assurance of the drawer maintaining its position supported on the anti-friction means. Thus in addition to the two side ilanges which I have shown in the drawer which Ivhave just described,'I may provide additional ilanges on the bottom, running either longitudinally or transversely of the drawer.

It will be understood that various features of my copending applications led coincidently with the application and entitled: Drawer, Serial No. 45,711, now Patent No. 2,152,676; 'I'hree sided casing, Serial No. 45,714; Container fastening means, Serial No. 46,316; Predetermined bend line, Serial No. 45,710; End-fold casing, Serial No.

45,713, now Patent No. 2,088,315; may be used in conjunction with the present invention, and that certain features of the present application may be used in conjunction with the above named applications.

Now having described my invention so that it may be understood by one skilled in the art,

I claim:

1. A collapsible drawer having score lines along the edges thereof along which the walls of said drawer are collapsible into a substantially ilat unit; a track member comprising a metallic angle member secured along the bottom edges of said drawer; a predetermined bend line formed in said angle member' coinciding with the score lines of said drawer to permit collapse of said drawer.

2. A collapsible drawer having score lines along the edges thereof along which the walls of said drawer are collapsible into a substantially flat unit; a track member comprising a metallic angle member secured along the bottom edges of said drawer extending longitudinally along the bottom and side of said drawer to form a reinforcing edge therefor; a predetermined bend line formed in said angle member coinciding with the' score lines of said drawer to permit collapse of said drawer.

3. A collapsible drawer having score lines along the edges thereof along which the walls of said drawer are collapsible into a substantially flat unit; a track member comprising a metallic angle member secured along the bottom edges of said drawer; a predetermined bend line formedl in said angle member coinciding with the score lines of said drawer to permit collapse of said drawer; and prongs formed in said metallic member and engaging the drawer.

4. A collapsible drawer adapted to be slidably supported in a casing; said drawer having score lines along which the walls of said drawer are collapsible into a substantially flat unit; said drawer having a bottom wall; means for, locking said bottom wall in a position elevated above the lower edges of the side walls for preventing contact of said bottom wallwith the bottom of its casing; said means comprising a ange member and metallic members secured to said ilange for locking said flange in position, said metallic 'members being constructed and arranged to permit collapse of said drawer into a substantially flat unit.

5. A collapsible drawer adapted to be slidably supported in a casing; said drawer havingA score lines along which the walls of said drawer are 'collapsible into a substantially iiat unit; said drawer having a bottom Wall; means for locking said bottom wall in a position elevated above the lower edges of the side walls for preventing contact of said bottom wall with the bottom of its casing; said means comprising a iiange member and metallic members secured to said ange for locking said ange in position; said metallic member forming a track member adapted to rest upon a roller member for suspending said drawer in said casing; said metallic members being constructed and arranged to permit collapse of said drawer into a substantially at unit.

6. A collapsible drawer adapted to be slidably Y supported in a casing; said drawer having score lines along lwhich the walls of said drawer are collapsible into a substantially flat unit; said drawer having 'a bottom wall; means for locking said bottom wall in a position elevated above the lower edges of the side walls for preventing contact of said bottom wall with the bottom of its casing; said means comprising a flange member and metallic members secured to said ange for locking said flange in position; said metallic member forming a track member adapted to rest upon a roller member for suspending said drawer in said casing; said metallic members being constructed and arranged to permit collapse of said drawer into a substantially flat unit; and wheels secured tothe rear of said drawer adapted to engage with the track 'of the drawer casing for providing a further suspension of said drawer in its casing.

PHILIP ZALKIND. 

